Delays - Love Made Visible (EP)

James Brindle | Thursday, 17 April 2008

Southampton band Delays are back with a fresh record label and a terrific new EP.

The often unfairly overlooked four-piece have produced some enigmatic pop creations spanning their two-album career but unfortunately suffer from ‘Elbowitis’; that being the fact they are critically lauded but commercial relatively unsuccessful.

After the wonderful ‘You See Colours’ album of 2006, Delays release the ‘Love Made Visible’ EP on Fiction records.

The five-song collection showcases everything that's great about the band: angelic harmonies, catchy melodies and the incomparable voice of lead singer Greg Gilbert.

However, on the EP's undoubted highlight ‘Panic Attacks’, Greg shares lead vocals with brother Aaron to wonderful effect. In a fair world this near-perfect pop song would be dominating radio playlists up and down the country.

Elsewhere, the title track is similar to the electro-tinged delight of the band's last album, ‘Valentine’; it's no less joyous - the Torchteam remix has echoes of Erasure (which is a good thing I assure you).

‘Slow Burn’ is just that, a slow-burner that eventually gets under the skin and shows Delays are no one-trick ponies. If this taster is anything to go by, this hugely talented band's third album, ‘Everything’s the Rush’, is going to be a must-have.